19 November 2013

• U.S. Employment Cost Index – Q3 2013


Civilian Workers: Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.9 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, unchanged from the 12-month period ending in September 2012. Wages and salaries increased 1.6 percent for the current 12-month period. In September 2012, the 12-month increase was 1.7 percent. Benefit costs increased 2.2 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, compared with the 2.4 percent increase for the 12-month period ending September 2012.

Click on chart to enlarge.

Private Industry Workers: Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 1.9 percent over the 12-month period ending September 2013, the same increase as in September 2012. Wages and salaries increased 1.8 percent for the year ending in September 2013, the same increase as the period one year ago. The increase in the cost of benefits was 2.0 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, compared with a 2.2 percent increase in the period ending in September 2012. Health benefit costs increased 2.7 percent. In September 2012, the increase was 2.3 percent.

State and Local Government Workers: Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 1.7 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013. In September 2012 the increase was 1.8 percent. Wages and salaries increased 0.9 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, compared with a 1.1 percent increase from a year earlier. Prior values for this series, which began in June 1982, ranged from 1.0 percent to 8.5 percent. Benefit costs increased 2.9 percent in September 2013. In September 2012, the increase was 3.2 percent.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


14 November 2013

• U.S. Productivity & Labor Costs – Q3 2013


Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased at a 1.9 percent annual rate during the third quarter of 2013. The increase in productivity reflects increases of 3.7 percent in output and 1.7 percent in hours worked. (All quarterly percent changes are seasonally adjusted annual rates.) From the third quarter of 2012 to the third quarter of 2013, productivity was essentially unchanged as a 1.8 percent increase in output was matched by a 1.8 percent increase in hours worked.

Unit labor costs in nonfarm businesses decreased 0.6 percent in the third quarter of 2013, while hourly compensation increased 1.3 percent. Unit labor costs rose 1.9 percent over the last four quarters.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims – 09 November 2013

[Jobless]


In the week ending November 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 341,000. The 4-week moving average was 344,000, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 349,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending November 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending November 2 were in Alaska (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.0), Virgin Islands (3.5), New Jersey (3.0), California (2.9), Connecticut (2.7), Pennsylvania (2.6), District of Columbia (2.4), Illinois (2.4), and Oregon (2.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending November 2 were in Michigan (+2,720), Ohio (+2,289), New Jersey (+1,371), Massachusetts (+1,051), and Kansas (+919), while the largest decreases were in Oregon (-3,011), California (-2,468), Tennessee (-989), Puerto Rico (-859), and South Carolina (-718).

Click on chart to enlarge

Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits.

Source: USDOL-BLS


08 November 2013

• U.S. Employment Situation – October 2013


Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 204,000 in October, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 7.3 percent.

Employment increased in leisure and hospitality, retail trade, professional and technical services, manufacturing, and health care.

Note: The alternative unemployment rate is the official unemployment rate plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force. [Click on chart to enlarge.]

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• U.S. Personal Income and Outlays - September 2013


Personal income increased $67.4 billion, or 0.5 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) increased $64.8 billion, or 0.5 percent, in September.

Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $24.7 billion, or 0.2 percent. In August, personal income increased $65.6 billion, or 0.5 percent, DPI increased $66.3 billion, or 0.5 percent, and PCE increased $39.8 billion, or 0.3 percent, based on revised estimates.

Real disposable personal income increased 0.4 percent in September, the same increase as in August. Real PCE increased 0.1 percent in September, compared with an increase of 0.2 percent in August.

See the complete report at this link: USDOC-BEA


07 November 2013

• U.S. OSHA Reports on Illnesses and Injuries -2012


Private industry employers reported nearly 3.0 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2012, lowering the incidence rate to 3.4 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers compared to 3.5 cases in 2011.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• U.S. GDP Price Index – Q3 2013


The U.S. Price Index for Gross Domestic Product reached a level of 106.667 (2009 = 100) during the third quarter of 2013. This is up 1.3% from a level of 105.345 at the same time in 2012. This largely parallels the Consumer Price Index increase of 1.2% reported for September 2013.

The GDP Price Index is a supplemental measure that is based on household expenditures for which there are observable price measures. It excludes most implicit prices (for example, financial services furnished without payment) and the final consumption expenditures of nonprofit institutions serving households.

See the complete report at this link: USDOC-BEA